A large earthquake — the USGS puts it at a 7.8 on the Richter scale — has hit Iran 50 miles east of the city of Khash and near the Pakistani border.

Earlier Iranian state television reported that at least 40 people have been killed, but the governor of Sistan and Baluchistan has told ISNA news agency that "the earthquake resulted in no fatalities."

Pakistani officials say at least 34 people have died and more than 1'000 houses in Pakistani areas have been partially damaged.

Iran's Fars news agency reports that it's the biggest quake since a 7.7 in 1990 and the strongest in 40 years. Fars notes that many houses in the area "are made of mud brick, which can easily crumble in a quake."

Given that the area is rural and poor, the emergency effort is expected to be difficult.